Are you:
- Currently taking piano lessons and want a fresh approach to supplement your learning?
- Learning piano on your own and need guidance to make progress?
- Seeking effective strategies to improve your music reading?
- Looking to express yourself creatively at the piano, with improvisation or creating your own music?
- Seeking a positive and encouraging voice to cheer you on as you grow your piano skills?
If so, then you have come to the right place!
Hi. My name is Chris Goslow, and I wrote “Play Piano: A Learner’s Guide to Playing, Reading and Creating Music” for piano learners just like you.
Here is a passage from the book’s introduction:
In the process of working closely with hundreds of students over almost two decades, I have become familiar with what learners, especially adults, typically look for when they take piano lessons, as well as common challenges they face. Again and again, I see that, left on their own, piano learners often have the following struggles:
- They lack an effective approach to reading music.
- They practice inefficiently and therefore don’t learn their music thoroughly.
- They doubt their ability to be creative at the piano—such as through improvisation or music composition—and are not sure they even have the right to try.
- They struggle to maintain progress in their playing.
Traditional piano learning focuses on one learning approach: the sheet-music reading method. This approach works for many learners. However, one size does not fit all. Nor should it. People’s interests are diverse. Music itself is diverse. Why not have a piano- learning approach that reflects this diversity?
“Play Piano: A Learner’s Guide to Playing, Reading, and Creating Music” is designed as a broad overview of topics relevant for piano learners. These topics include:
- Overcoming piano-learning myths and challenges
- Beginner learning topics and issues
- Demystifying sheet music
- Practice strategies for making greater progress
- Creating at the piano through improvisation (including lead sheets) and composition
- Performing psychology and ways to perform in your local community
- Playing-by-ear and music theory
- Designing your ideal practice routine
- Long-term piano-learning satisfaction
Created for all types of piano learners–new or experienced learners, traditional music readers or creatively-oriented learners–this book is full of helpful suggestions, insights, and strategies meant to enliven your piano learning and therefore enrich your life!
What Piano Learners Are Saying About “Play Piano”
“There are so many suggestions in this book that anybody could pick up to find which part helps them learn the best.” –MiMi
“The book is a combination of technical information as well as encouraging information.” – Spoon
“It’s something I would introduce a friend to, somebody who’s just starting to learn piano. It opens up the world of piano as something less intimidating.” – Ian
What Music Educators Are Saying
“This delightful book has something for everyone! For new players all the way up through seasoned music teachers. It’ll teach you something new or reignite a passion for something you’ve done before. This book inspired me to reconnect with each of my students to determine what their goals are and build new learning paths better suited to those goals.”
–Elizabeth Prince, Music Teacher/Singer/Songwriter
“So much of piano instruction can be a ‘You better do this or else’ mentality. So many people are shut down in pursuing music because delight was never brought to the piano lesson format. Chris’s book circumvents any of that. It says ‘Go for it baby and see what works for you.’ Love it.”
—Celeste A. Keith, MT-BC, Owner, The Music Works Music Therapy Services
Get your physical copy of “Play Piano: A Learner’s Guide to Playing, Reading, and Creating Music” at the link below*:
*Note: To avoid shipping fees, students, friends, and local connections can contact me directly to purchase the book and pick it up locally.